March, 18 2010, 08:51am EDT
Beyond Guantanamo Signatories Meet with Legislators to Support Prosecutions of Terrorism Suspects in Federal Court
Beyond Guantanamo: A Bipartisan Declaration supports trials of terrorism suspects in traditional federal courts and opposes indefinite detention without charge
WASHINGTON
Today, over a dozen signatories to Beyond Guantanamo: A Bipartisan Declaration
came to Washington to meet with members of Congress to advocate for the
trial of terrorism suspects in traditional federal court, rather than
by military commission. Signatories also cautioned against using a
system of indefinite detention to hold suspects without charge or
trial. Today's efforts are particularly timely given recent fierce
debates about these issues, along with pending legislation that could
force the administration to pursue prosecutions of terrorism suspects
only in military commissions.
Released in November 2009, Beyond Guantanamo
was organized by the Constitution Project and Human Rights First. Its
signatories call on the Obama administration and Congress to support a
policy for closing Guantanamo that is consistent with our
constitutional principles and that also ensures our country's security.
Joined by nearly 140 prominent Americans, including former members of
Congress, diplomats, federal judges and prosecutors, high-level
military and government officials, as well as national security and
foreign policy experts, bar leaders, and family members of 9/11
victims, the Declaration supports prosecution of terrorism
suspects in traditional federal court, rather than by military
commission, and opposes indefinite detention without charge.
The following can be attributed to Virginia Sloan, president of the Constitution Project:
"For far too long, the national debate around how
and where to try suspected terrorists now held at Guantanamo has been
wrongly framed as a partisan dispute. It is simply wrong to believe
that national security issues have to pit Democrats against
Republicans, and conservatives against progressives. Beyond Guantanamo
is an example of policy experts from across the political spectrum who
have come together to support federal court prosecutions for suspected
terrorists and to oppose any policy of indefinite detention without
charge.
"With the Obama administration currently mulling
its options and legislation being considered in Congress that would
significantly limit the president's choices, administration officials
and members of Congress must hear from this eminent group of experts
that justice cannot be politicized, and there is clear bipartisan
consensus about the requirements of our Constitution."
The Constitution Project is a politically independent think tank established in 1997 to promote and defend constitutional safeguards. More information about the Constitution Project is available at https://constitutionproject.org/.
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Defeating 'MAGA Dark Money,' Summer Lee Wins Primary in Landslide
"This is a huge testament to our collective strength and resilience as a progressive movement," said the executive director of Justice Democrats.
Apr 24, 2024
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, a member of the progressive "Squad," won the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District on Tuesday, fending off an opponent whose campaign was backed by a billionaire Republican megadonor and ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lee, a vocal critic of the Netanyahu government and leading supporter of a cease-fire in Gaza, handily defeated Bhavini Patel, a borough councilmember in Edgewood, Pennsylvania whose effort to unseat the progressive incumbent was bankrolled by Jeffrey Yass, the state's richest man. Patel actively courted Republican and pro-Israel voters, characterizing Lee as "fringe."
With more than 95% of the vote counted, Lee is ahead of Patel by more than 20 percentage points.
"I am so humbled and proud to win my first primary reelection to be the congresswoman for this incredible district I've spent my life fighting for," Lee said after the race was called in her favor. "Our campaign was built on a record of delivering for our democracy, defending our most fundamental rights, and expanding our vision for what is politically possible for our region's most marginalized communities."
"Our victory is a rejection of right-wing interests and Republican billionaires using corporate super PACs to target Black and brown Democrats in our primaries—be it AIPAC or Moderate PAC or any other MAGA billionaire in Democratic clothing," Lee added. "Western PA is the blueprint for the future all of America deserves."
Opposing genocide is good politics and good policy. #CeasefireNOWÂ https://t.co/A7pnJNskWS
— Summer Lee (@SummerForPA) April 24, 2024
Through the misleadingly named Moderate PAC, Yass—a prolific tax dodger who has been floated as a possible treasury secretary pick if former President Donald Trump wins another term—spent hundreds of thousands of dollars boosting Patel and attacking Lee.
Rahna Epting, executive director of MoveOn Political Action, said that by ushering Lee to victory, residents of Pennsylvania's 12th District "soundly rejected MAGA dark money."
"MoveOn members are ready to defeat this dangerous flood of dark-money spending against progressive champions and ensure that we continue to elect working-class people to Congress," said Epting.
"Now that it's clear Summer won her primary, AIPAC's super PAC has already officially failed at their one goal for this cycle: taking out the entire Squad."
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Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC sent a letter Monday to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Acting Secretary Debbie-Anne Reese seeking final permission to begin operation on the MVP next month, even while acknowledging that much of the Virginia portion of the pipeline route remains unfinished and developers have yet to fully comply with safety requirements.
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Russell Chisholm, co-director of the Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights (POWHR) Coalition—which called MVP's request "reckless and impossible"—said in a statement that "we are watching our worst nightmare unfold in real-time: The reckless MVP is barreling towards completion."
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Appalachian Voices noted that MVP's request comes days before pipeline developer Equitrans Midstream is set to release its 2024 first-quarter earnings information on April 30.
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U.S. workers' rights advocates and groups celebrated on Tuesday after the Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 along party lines to approve a ban on most noncompete clauses, which Democratic FTC Chair Lina Khansaid "keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism."
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Demand Progress' Emily Peterson-Cassin similarly commended the commission "for taking a strong stance against this egregious use of corporate power, thereby empowering workers to switch jobs and launch new ventures, and unlocking billions of dollars in worker earnings."
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